I am always hesitant to kick off "fall cooking season" because I'm never quite ready to say goodbye to summer. But this year I'm ready! Pumpkin season is in full swing (so is cinnamon broom season much to my dismay), and we're going for it! This Pumpkin Chicken Chili is cozy, hearty, and packed with all the flavors you want in a fall dinner. And I am going to be making it on repeat for the next few months!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
This Pumpkin Chicken Chili is the perfect mashup of comfort food and seasonal perfection. The pumpkin purée gives it a creamy texture without being heavy, the chipotle pepper adds just the right amount of smoky spice (omit it or reduce if you're making for kids), and the chicken thighs stay juicy and tender. Pumpkin Chicken Chili is the kind of recipe you can make for a casual weeknight dinner or dress up with fun toppings for game day. Plus, it comes together in under an hour, which makes it a weeknight win.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Olive oil
- Yellow onion
- Garlic
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Ground cumin
- Dried oregano
- Smoked paprika
- Chili powder
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Pumpkin purée
- White beans (cannellini or Great Northern)
- Chicken stock or bone broth
- Chipotle pepper in adobo + adobo sauce
- Lime
- Cilantro
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Fried tortilla strips
How to Make
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and add them to the pot. Sear for 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown. They don’t need to cook through yet.
- Stir in the cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and chili powder. Toast the spices for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the pumpkin purée, white beans, chicken stock, chipotle pepper, and adobo sauce. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 25–30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Remove the chicken, shred it with two forks, and return it to the pot. Stir in the lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Serve the Pumpkin Chicken Chili hot, topped with cilantro, sour cream or yogurt, and fried tortilla strips.
Tips & Tricks
- Sear the chicken first for extra flavor. Browning the thighs before simmering makes the chili richer and more layered.
- Don’t skip toasting the spices, it wakes up all their flavor.
- Adjust the spice level by adding more or less chipotle. A little goes a long way.
- This Pumpkin Chicken Chili gets better the next day, so make a double batch and enjoy leftovers.
- Top it like a taco bar! Think avocado, cheese, radishes, or pickled onions in addition to cilantro and sour cream.
FAQ's
Can I make this Pumpkin Chicken Chili ahead?
Yes! It keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days and freezes beautifully.
Can I use rotisserie chicken instead of raw chicken thighs?
Absolutely. Shred it and stir it in during the last 10 minutes of cooking so it doesn’t dry out.
Can I make this vegetarian?
Skip the chicken and use vegetable stock. Add an extra can of beans or even some roasted sweet potatoes.
What can I serve with this chili?
Cornbread, tortilla chips, or even a big fall salad on the side.
How do I make homemade Pumpkin Puree
Skip the canned stuff and make your own! Slice a sugar pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds, and roast cut-side down at 400°F for 45–50 minutes until tender. Scoop the flesh into a food processor and blend until smooth. You can store it in the fridge for up to a week or freeze it in portions for soups, breads, or this chili.
Similar Recipes
Pumpkin Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 15 ounces canned pumpkin puree
- 15 ounces can white beans (cannellini or Great Northern), drained and rinsed
- 3 cups chicken stock or bone broth
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo minced, plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce
- 1 lime juiced
- cilantro
- sour cream
- cheese
- tortilla strips
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and add them to the pot. Sear for 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown. They don’t need to cook through yet.
- Stir in the cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and chili powder. Toast the spices for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the pumpkin purée, white beans, chicken stock, chipotle pepper, and adobo sauce. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 25–30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Remove the chicken, shred it with two forks, and return it to the pot. Stir in the lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Serve hot, topped with cilantro, sour cream or yogurt, and fried tortilla strips.
I made this yesterday and it was way too spicy (and we enjoy spicy foods). I had to prepare a second batch - with NO chipotle or chipotle adobo sauce - and add to the first batch, along with 2 tablespoons of sour cream, to tone down the spice. It became about a medium spice level and was amazing. 4 of us ate it for dinner and we had enough leftovers for lunch today. I will definitely make this again in about 2 weeks. Thank you!
I made this tonight for dinner and it was delicious. The only thing I would do differently next time, is to sear the chicken first, remove it and then saute the onions, etc. I followed the recipe and my husband and I both loved it. Thanks, Gaby!
Can this be frozen? I'm trying to make some meals ahead for surgery recovery...
sure can!
Love the flavor and the richness the pumpkin purée imparts. It’s a keeper!
Thanks, Gaby!
I made this and it's so good!! I used chicken breast instead of thighs, and added a teeny bit of maple syrup and molasses after tasting. Thank you, Gaby!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was yummy. I might make it with rotisserie chicken or cooked, shredded chicken breast next time. I added the entire carton of chicken stock which is 4 cups. And, I added an additional can of white beans and one grated carrot. The additional orange color made the soup look like Fall. Served it with broken tortilla chips and avocado slices. Good flavor and healthy!
Help! I made this yesterday for a Sunday gathering and it’s too spicy. Going over the recipe I may have inadvertently added 2 Tbs chili powder instead of 2 tsp. I did not add the chipotle sauce as I wanted to taste first. What can I add to tone down the spice? Love your recipes!
you could stir in some sour cream to make it a bit creamier and smooth!
Delish! I made this today. I actually followed the recipe/measurements. The only thing I did differently was double the broth, added diced green chilis, & corn. The toppings were perfect suggestions. This would be terrific to serve for Halloween. Thanks, Gaby!! Good one!!
Could you make this in the crockpot?
I did, and it worked. I seared the chicken first, then sautéed the onions and garlic and spices as the recipe states. Then I transferred everything to the slow cooker and added the rest of the ingredients. I cooked it on high for 2 hours and low for 3 hours, adding the beans for the last hour of cooking (which is when I shredded the meat) and finishing with the lime juice.